Researchers hypothesize the first human infected with HIV was a Bantu hunter who came into blood-to-blood contact with a chimpanzee with a similar virus in a jungle in Cameroon more than a century ago.

But the story doesn’t begin there. Ages before the inter-species transmission, “virus hunter” Nathan Wolfe says, an intracellular event created an ancestor of the virus that was passed down to us today.

Radiolab:

— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.

In these critical times, your support is crucial...

As we navigate an uncertain 2025, with a new administration questioning press freedoms, the risks are clear: our ability to report freely is under threat.

Your tax-deductible donation enables us to dig deeper, delivering fearless investigative reporting and analysis that exposes the reality behind the headlines — without compromise.

"Truthdig’s a lifeline for anyone who values democracy especially during these challenging times.”
— Fernando Villamare, Los Angeles, CA

Now is the time to take action. Stand with our courageous journalists. Donate today to protect a free press, uphold democracy and uncover the stories that need to be told.

SUPPORT TRUTHDIG